Flexible neck for dart heads



y 1954 N. B. RUCZYNSKI ET Al. 2,683,037

FLEXIBLE NECK FOR DART HEADS Filed March 21, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l luveu'roa NAR'CY B. Ruczvusm W ATTORNEY y 1954 N. B. RUCZYNSKI ET AL 2,683,037

FLEXIBLE NECK FOR DART HEADS Filed March 21, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvem'oa Mama HARRY Szczemusm gifwawg Patented July 6, 1 954 TENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE NECK FOR DART HEADS Narcy B. Ruczynski and Harry Szczepanski, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application March 21, 1949, Serial No. 82,688

3 Claims.

This invention is associated with dart games. The high entertainment value which these devices possess is probably due to the combination of skill and luck inevitably associated with them, coupled with the active participation of the players and the interest-catching quality of the flight of the dart to the target. The one undesirable feature of the conventional dart game is the pointed tip of the dart intended to engage the target and preserve the position of the point of impact for scoring purposes. It is the unfortunate experience of anyone who has played one of these games that the pointed dart has the ability of engaging practically any other object in addition to the surface of the target. Curtains, furniture, woodwork, and even the players themselves are all subject to accidental injury if the dart should deviate from its normal path under the hands of an inexperienced player. When the game is played by small children, the danger of injury to the players is considerable; and it is not unusual to find children arming themselves with the darts as weapons and causing great damage in their war-like games.

The present invention provides a construction for darts which preserves all the advantages of the conventional dart game, and yet eliminates the great source of danger therein, namely, the pointed engaging tip. The engagement of the dart with the target according to the present invention is accomplished through magnetic attraction, with the dart being provided with a small magnet carried in the nose which cooperates with a sheet of magnetic material on which the target configuration is paintedor otherwise marked. A very important feature of the present invention is the provision made for providing a limited amount of angular freedom between the engaging surface of the magnet and the axis of the dart. It will be a rare case in which the dart will engage the target along a line which is exactly perpendicular to the surface of the target. When magnetic attraction is used, some provision must be made for permitting the magnet to align itself with the surface of the target, or the dart is very likely to simply bounce off the target surface rather than adhere thereto.

The preferred form of the present invention provides for a very flexible connection between the main body portion of the dart and the magnetic holding piece. The degree of flexibility is such that the normal forces encountered in the engagement of the dart with the target will readily suifice to bend this flexible portion and permit the holding surface of the magnet to align itself immediately with the target. It is necessary that the flexible connecting member be of sufhcient strength to adequately resist all of the forces involved in handling the dart and removing the same from the target. To couple this necessary tensile strength with sufiicient flexibility to accomplish the functions above noted, it has been found preferable to provide a thin-walled tubular section between the magnetic engaging piece and the body portion of the dart. This section is preferably formed of rubber of some similar material, and the thinness of the Walls permits a localized buckling action which considerably reduces the resistance of the flexible section to bonding.

The body portion of the dart is preferably formed according to a particular arrangement provided by the present invention which permits this portion of the dart to be molded out of a plastic or other similar material and removed from the die with a minimum of working parts and separable sections in the die. The formation of the body portion which is responsible for this highly desirable characteristic is a generally rearwardly tapering configuration both as to the outer edges of the various surfaces involved and as to the'cross section of these-surfaces taken parallel to the axis or flight path of the dart. The amount of this taper can be very small, and is determined by well known molding and die: casting practices. The purpose of the taper is simply to permit the piece to be removed from the die without adhering to the die surfaces as the piece is ejected.

The various features of the present invention will be analyzed by a discussion of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a completely assembled dart.

Figure 2 shows a section through the axis of the dart illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a target board provided with a series of storage recesses adapted to receive darts of the type illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section through the dart shown in Figure 1 showing the action of the flexible mounting means as a dart engages a target.

Referring to Figure l, the dart generally indicated at I!) is seen to include the body portion i l, the magnetic holding piece I2, the flexible mounting member l3, and the rearwardly tapering stabilizing surfaces l4, l5, and Hi. It will be noted that the stabilizing surfaces are all generally parallel to an axis which may be referred to as the line of flight of the dart. The center of the area of the stabilizing surfaces is disposed well behind the center of gravity of the completely assembled dart so as to effectively prevent the dart from assuming an attitude at an excessive angle to the line of flight.

Referring to Figure 2, the magnetic holding piece i2 is provided with a slot l'l diametrically across its surface which serves to separate the forward portion of the holding piece into the separate poles l8 and [9. With the engaging surface of the holding piece formed in this manner, the amount of magnetic attraction to the target surface is considerably increased over that which would occur if the entire forward surface were to have the same general polarity.

The flexible mounting member [3 comprises the cup shaped section 20, the flexible tubular section 2|, and the securing ortion 22. A suitable recess 23 is formed in the nose of the dart to receive the securing portion 22, with the parts being retained in the assembled position by cement or appropriate fastenings.

Referring to Figure 4, a dart constructed as shown in Figure 2 is shown at the moment of impact with a target surface 24. The target will in most cases be hung upon a wall, resulting in the engagement of the dart at approximately the angle indicated. The walls of the tubular section 2| are thin enough to permit the required amount of flexing under the forces generated by the collision of the dart 10 with the target surface 24. This flexing permits the two poles l8 and i9 of the holding piece 12 to cooperate with the target surface 24 before the dart glances away. Preferably, the tubular section 2| should be formed of soft rubber or other similar material.

Referring to Figure 3, a game assembly 21 is shown which comprises the target surface 24 and the series of dart-receiving recesses as indicated at 28. The holes 29 and 30 are provided in the upper portion of the board to facilitate hanging the same on .a wall.

The particular embodiments which have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein are for illustrative purposes only, and are not to be taken as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims it is the intent of the inventors to claim the present invention .to the extent to which they are entitled in view of the prior art.

We claim:

1. A toy dart, comprising: a body portion; directional stabilizing means on said body portion including aerodynamic surfaces establishing a directional axis for said dart; magnetic holding means; and mounting means secured to said body portion and adapted to position said holding means at the front of said dart, said mounting means being formed of flexible material and having a tubular section between said holding means and said body portion.

2. A toy dart, comprising: a body portion; directional stabilizing means on said body portion including aerodynamic surfaces establishing a directional axis for said dart; magnetic holding means having an engaging surface; and mounting means secured to said body portion and adapted to position the engaging surface of said holding means substantially perpendicular to said directional axis at the front of said dart, said mounting means being formed of flexible material and having a tubular section between said holding means and said body portion.

3. A toy dart, comprising: a body portion having a recess; directional stabilizing means on said body portion including aerodynamic surfaces establishing a directional axis for said dart; magnetic holding means having an engaging surface; and mounting means having a portion adapted to engage said recess and adapted to position the engaging surface of said holding means substantially perpendicular to said directional axis at the front of said dart, said mounting means being formed of flexible material and having a tubular section between said holding means and said body portion disposed coaxially with said recessengaging portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,774,765 Schoen Sept. 2, 1930 2,477,531 Volman July 26, 1949 2,504,757 Terry Apr. 18, 1950 

